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  • DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300
    TOPPING said:

    The toxicity comes from a perception (usually by people who would never in a million years vote Tory)

    No, that is not quite right. The toxicity is seen by many who used to vote Conservative. Take Scotland: until the mid 1980s, there'd be 20 or more Conservative MPs; since 1997 there have been zero or one.

    Blaming "welfare" or the public sector or the wrong sort of voters, as many Conservatives do is not just head-in-the-sand: it's salt in the wounds.

    Theresa May was right. Conservatives are seen as the nasty party by many people who'd otherwise vote Tory. Hence David Cameron's detoxification strategy.


  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    Some men's inability to grow a beard is a relatively unexplored area of male life. Aside from Njal in Njal's Saga, I can't think of a work of literature where the problem has been given an airing.
  • CD13CD13 Posts: 6,366

    Another aspect of the Charities scam that annoyed me with "Save The Children" was their decision to spend some of the money in the UK.

    Now I know I'm in a minority here, but I was happy to give money when I pictured starving African kids staring out at me through their gaunt eyes. Ribs you could play a tune on and a stomach distended by fluid and not fat. "Won't someone feed them?" would have been the strapline

    But the STC Director decided we needed to spend some of that money on deprived kids in the UK (caused by the horrible austerity) as they were all in "poverty" (as defined).

    I think even Roger would struggle to devise an effective advert featuring a gang of obese kids looking like they were auditioning for the "Roly-Polys". And with a strapline of ... "Won't someone stop them eating so much?"

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Argh!

    There's sixteen boys called "Blazej" How do you pronounce this?

    Miss Plato, I think Superman's one of the most common passwords (in The Big Bang Theory Leonard uses Kal-El for everything).

    I don't get why people go for weird names or give their kids a stupid spelling of a normal name (such as Ritchard).

    I had a child in surgery the other day with the name Keiane. Apparently pronounced like Cian. I said that was an interesting spelling and the mother said "yeah we made it up 'cos we wanted more letters". I don't think people that stupid should be allowed to have children.

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    CD13 said:


    Another aspect of the Charities scam that annoyed me with "Save The Children" was their decision to spend some of the money in the UK.

    Now I know I'm in a minority here, but I was happy to give money when I pictured starving African kids staring out at me through their gaunt eyes. Ribs you could play a tune on and a stomach distended by fluid and not fat. "Won't someone feed them?" would have been the strapline

    But the STC Director decided we needed to spend some of that money on deprived kids in the UK (caused by the horrible austerity) as they were all in "poverty" (as defined).

    I think even Roger would struggle to devise an effective advert featuring a gang of obese kids looking like they were auditioning for the "Roly-Polys". And with a strapline of ... "Won't someone stop them eating so much?"

    Indeed.
  • DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300
    Plato said:

    Argh!

    There's sixteen boys called "Blazej" How do you pronounce this?

    It's a Polish name.
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    edited August 2013
    tim said:

    @EdConwaySky: Lordy God house price inflation in London is running at 8.1%. Chart: ONS http://t.co/H1sxrpSZwR

    Not enough cry the Govt, and throw taxpayer subsidies at pumping it up further

    British homes for British nationals !!!

    Ban those pesky foreigners from owning our buy to let flats !!

    Suprised Conway got onto that - what with it being the day when we find out how much train tickets have gone up.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724

    Plato said:

    Argh!

    There's sixteen boys called "Blazej" How do you pronounce this?

    It's a Polish name.
    Yes and? How do you pronounce it? It's a perfectly simple question.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Did Neil Hamilton fail the UKIP fruitcake test? I'm not really very keen on this sort of language but why hasn't he made their MEP list?
  • FinancierFinancier Posts: 3,916
    Plato said:

    Plato said:

    Argh!

    There's sixteen boys called "Blazej" How do you pronounce this?

    It's a Polish name.
    Yes and? How do you pronounce it? It's a perfectly simple question.
    @Plato

    "[ syll. bla-zej, bl-az-ej ] The baby boy name Blazej is pronounced as BL-Z †. Blazej is used chiefly in Czech and Polish. Its origin is Latin.

    Blazej is a variant of the name Blaise (English and French) in the Czech and Polish languages.

    Blazej is also a variant of the name Blaze (English and Latin) in the Polish language.

    Blazej is not often used as a baby boy name. It is not listed within the top 1000. Among the family of boy names directly related to Blazej, Blaze was the most widely used in 2012.

    Baby names that sound like Blazej include Blaze (English and Latin), Blake (English), Balesh (Indian), Bayles, Baylles, Beals (English), Blac, Black, Blacke, Blaek, Blaeke, Blaes, Blaese, Blaez, Blaeze, Blaik, Blaike, Blais, Blaise (English and French), and Blaiz.

    † English pronunciation for Blazej: B as in "be (B.IY)" ; L as in "lay (L.EY)" ; Z as in "zoo (Z.UW)"

    http://www.babynamespedia.com/meaning/Blazej
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,061
    Mr. Antifrank, I've read Njal's Saga but can't recall the beard incident. Could you give me a summary?
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited August 2013
    Ah thanks - so Modesty Blaze wouldn't be too far off either!
    Financier said:



    @Plato

    "[ syll. bla-zej, bl-az-ej ] The baby boy name Blazej is pronounced as BL-Z †. Blazej is used chiefly in Czech and Polish. Its origin is Latin.

    Blazej is a variant of the name Blaise (English and French) in the Czech and Polish languages.

    Blazej is also a variant of the name Blaze (English and Latin) in the Polish language.

    Blazej is not often used as a baby boy name. It is not listed within the top 1000. Among the family of boy names directly related to Blazej, Blaze was the most widely used in 2012.

    Baby names that sound like Blazej include Blaze (English and Latin), Blake (English), Balesh (Indian), Bayles, Baylles, Beals (English), Blac, Black, Blacke, Blaek, Blaeke, Blaes, Blaese, Blaez, Blaeze, Blaik, Blaike, Blais, Blaise (English and French), and Blaiz.

    † English pronunciation for Blazej: B as in "be (B.IY)" ; L as in "lay (L.EY)" ; Z as in "zoo (Z.UW)"

    http://www.babynamespedia.com/meaning/Blazej

  • DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300
    Plato said:

    Plato said:

    Argh!

    There's sixteen boys called "Blazej" How do you pronounce this?

    It's a Polish name.
    Yes and? How do you pronounce it? It's a perfectly simple question.
    Pronouncing Blazej for Dummies includes a 2-second audio track:
    http://students.mimuw.edu.pl/~bo262963/pronounce.html
  • FensterFenster Posts: 2,115
    Rexel56 said:

    Plato said:

    Miss Plato, to be fair, Superman's a pretty good role model. That said, the name is a bit, er, out there.

    Could be worse, though. He could've been called Optimus Prime.

    LOL

    There are some great names in the ONS data

    3 boys called "Calixte" 4 called "Anekin"

    http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm:77-318071
    16 boys registered without a name! How does that work then...?
    Blinking heck, they haven't even spelt Anakin properly.

    On the Star Wars front, I like the name Leia. I think it is pretty. I wouldn't have called my daughter that because she would've grown up answering Force-related questions, but it is a nice name.

    My boy (Joshua) was in nursery last year and I'm sure you'll be reassured to know that his classmates all had fairly traditional names. He was in class with a Dylan, a Harry, two Olivers, three Caitlins, a Lewis, a Millie, a Bethany, a Lily, a Jack and a Finlay among others. Nothing too offensive and they all send eachother Christmas cards! Not that I (or he) gives a monkeys about their names anyway. I won't be preventing him from hanging out with the chavs; he'll probably be one himself :)

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    http://order-order.com/2013/08/13/q2-party-funding-figures-everything-you-need-to-know/

    "The party funding figures are out for Quarter 2 of the year. The Tories are out front with £4,116,006 while Labour’s £3,136,447 is almost entirely from the unions. The LibDems have struggled to even raise a million with £801,448, while UKIP’s £160,289 was double what they raised in Q1.

    The biggest donors were:

    Unite the Union £772,195 to Labour
    Ms Joan L B Edwards £420,576 to Tories
    Ms Joan L B Edwards £99,423 to LibDems
    GMB £485,830 to Labour
    UNISON £458,080 to Labour
    Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers £411,147 to Labour
    Mr Michael S Farmer £280,770 to Tories
    Mr James R Lupton £263,600 To Tories
    National Conservative Draws Society £165,000 to Tories
    CWU £143,121 to Labour
    Offshore Group Newcastle Limited £117,300 to Tories

    Clearly whoever Joan L B Edwards is, she really really likes the coalition. Labour got another £2,241,419 in short money, yet despite this have gone cap in hand to the bank again >>>
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,301
    I had that Jens Stolenberg at the front of my taxi. Hadn't realised it was a cunning stunt.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-23680064
  • DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300
    Plato said:

    http://order-order.com/2013/08/13/q2-party-funding-figures-everything-you-need-to-know/

    "The party funding figures are out for Quarter 2 of the year. The Tories are out front with £4,116,006

    Which is why there is no serious incentive for Conservatives to change the current system.
  • Ishmael_XIshmael_X Posts: 3,664
    tim said:

    @EdConwaySky: Lordy God house price inflation in London is running at 8.1%. Chart: ONS http://t.co/H1sxrpSZwR

    Not enough cry the Govt, and throw taxpayer subsidies at pumping it up further

    TGOHF said:

    tim said:

    @EdConwaySky: Lordy God house price inflation in London is running at 8.1%. Chart: ONS http://t.co/H1sxrpSZwR

    Not enough cry the Govt, and throw taxpayer subsidies at pumping it up further

    British homes for British nationals !!!

    Ban those pesky foreigners from owning our buy to let flats !!

    Suprised Conway got onto that - what with it being the day when we find out how much train tickets have gone up.
    How's your chart looking - the there is no bubble look at that squirrel one?
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Robin Brant @robindbrant
    JCB research has given a total of £32,500 to four target constituencies, Wells, NE Derbyshire, Nuneaton (Con held) and Telford.
  • CarolaCarola Posts: 1,805
    Some consolation for we Haters of the Middle Lane Hogger (£):

    http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article3841212.ece
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    @Morris_Dancer Njal and his sons couldn't grow a proper beard. This was one of the things that his enemies used to taunt him with, calling him things like "little dungbeard" to call into question his masculinity. With Icelandic men then being hyper-conscious of their manliness, this led to feuds, culminating in the tragic denouement.

    All this could have been averted if the disposable razor had been invented sooner.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited August 2013
    Fenster said:

    Rexel56 said:

    Plato said:

    Miss Plato, to be fair, Superman's a pretty good role model. That said, the name is a bit, er, out there.

    Could be worse, though. He could've been called Optimus Prime.

    LOL

    There are some great names in the ONS data

    3 boys called "Calixte" 4 called "Anekin"

    http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm:77-318071
    16 boys registered without a name! How does that work then...?
    Blinking heck, they haven't even spelt Anakin properly.

    On the Star Wars front, I like the name Leia. I think it is pretty. I wouldn't have called my daughter that because she would've grown up answering Force-related questions, but it is a nice name.

    My boy (Joshua) was in nursery last year and I'm sure you'll be reassured to know that his classmates all had fairly traditional names. He was in class with a Dylan, a Harry, two Olivers, three Caitlins, a Lewis, a Millie, a Bethany, a Lily, a Jack and a Finlay among others. Nothing too offensive and they all send eachother Christmas cards! Not that I (or he) gives a monkeys about their names anyway. I won't be preventing him from hanging out with the chavs; he'll probably be one himself :)

    My classmates were all called Mark, David, Thomas, William, Richard, Jill, Fiona, Helen, Simon, Peter, Andrew, Alison, Dawn, Joanne and Susan.

    Amazing how fashions change. My name never gets over a couple of hundred a year.

    EDIT We had one called Roger whose teeth were all mercury amalgam so he resembled Jaws from James Bond.
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,985
    It's sometimes suggested that Paxman is a closet Tory. Could this be his way of making sure like any good political journalist that's he's buttering both sides of the coalition? I wouldn't be surprised if in the next few weeks we get the odd Dave style photo appearing in the press of Jeremy wearing sandals.

    On house prices, just strikes me as sad that our capital city is now going to become even more unaffordable for people to live in. I guess people will be commuting further into work. Can't be good for the economy.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,061
    Why would you call a kid Anakin? Have they seen the films? He's a whining, badly acted arsehead.

    Vader, on the other hand...
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,573
    Plato said:

    Robin Brant @robindbrant
    JCB research has given a total of £32,500 to four target constituencies, Wells, NE Derbyshire, Nuneaton (Con held) and Telford.

    NE Derbyshire is cloud cuckoo land for CON to win at GE 2015.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited August 2013

    Why would you call a kid Anakin? Have they seen the films? He's a whining, badly acted arsehead.

    Vader, on the other hand...

    I'm tempted to search for the kid called Darth or Yoda. In Freakamonics there's a chapter on kids becoming their own names - one was called Temptress FFS.
  • Why would you call a kid Anakin? Have they seen the films? He's a whining, badly acted arsehead.

    Vader, on the other hand...

    Annakin, has Yorkshire roots.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Annakin
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,061
    Cheers, Mr. Antifrank :)

    Did you like the book? Whilst I liked certain aspects of the world (and stole/modified the Godi for my own writing) it felt a bit of a slog to me.

    Miss Plato, in the Sixth Form I was in a form of about 11, three of whom were called Mohammed.
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,061
    Miss Plato, I suspect the reverse can also be true. Calling a girl Chastity is just asking for trouble.

    Mr. Eagles, I never knew Darth Vader was a Yorkshireman!

    "Ey up, ye soft rebel basterds."
  • Miss Plato, I suspect the reverse can also be true. Calling a girl Chastity is just asking for trouble.

    Mr. Eagles, I never knew Darth Vader was a Yorkshireman!

    "Ey up, ye soft rebel basterds."

    Imagine Darth Vader with a flat cap
  • Mike Smithson ‏@MSmithsonPB 41s

    Ladbrokes make it 4/5 that Paxman will see out his TV duty for the week wth beard
    It's 2/1 that it'll survive 2013
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited August 2013

    Cheers, Mr. Antifrank :)

    Did you like the book? Whilst I liked certain aspects of the world (and stole/modified the Godi for my own writing) it felt a bit of a slog to me.

    Miss Plato, in the Sixth Form I was in a form of about 11, three of whom were called Mohammed.

    I had 3x Joannes, 3x Alisons, 3x Fiona 2x Helens in mine. Almost all my boyfriends were called Mark, David or Andy. It made things really confusing so we tended to use nicknames instead.

    Being called Mohammed must be a complete nightmare.
  • OblitusSumMeOblitusSumMe Posts: 9,143
    I've been reliably informed that by day 4 or 5 the stubble is long enough to go soft, and so it isn't scratchy as it is on day 2. YMMV.
    Plato said:

    And do women actually like kissing or having sex with men with stubble and beards?

    I hate stubble - having a red rubbed face following an encounter is really unattractive. Give me a man with a close shave anytime. I associate beards with being unclean unless they're very clipped and artistic looking.

    SeanT said:

    Studies show that women prefer men with about 3mm of stubble (that's about five day's growth, or a month for tim), as against clean shaven men. Women believe men with stubble look much more masculine and sexy. Check all the Hollywood actors who now wear stubble: it's practically universal. This is why.

    http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTg4NzM5NDk0MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzAzMTUxNw@@._V1._SY314_CR2,0,214,314_.jpg

    Women ALSO believe men with beards look even MORE masculine than men with stubble, however men with beards are deemed threatening (TOO masculine and aggressive), so they score lower than the clean shaven on sexiness.

    Here is Paxman's problem. He hasn't got the right length. He's got about two weeks of stubble which is almost a proper beard, plus he's very grey now and the mini-beard emphasises this greyness, thereby ageing him. Stubble would be less obviously grey.

    He needs to get a proper beard-trimmer and reduce the bristles to 3mm.

    Not that I've researched this or anything.

  • RichardNabaviRichardNabavi Posts: 3,413
    Pulpstar said:

    NE Derbyshire is cloud cuckoo land for CON to win at GE 2015.

    Certainly a long shot. Huw Merriman (who is now our constituency party chairman here in Wealden) did extraordinarily well to get the Labour majority down to just 5.2% in 2010 - this is a seat where not long ago Labour had majorities of 23% to 35%. I gather the demographics have been shifting somewhat in the Conservatives' favour, but, yeah, probably not one to tuck into the 'maybe blue' column this time round. I imagine the effort being put in here is more building up strength for the future.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724

    I've been reliably informed that by day 4 or 5 the stubble is long enough to go soft, and so it isn't scratchy as it is on day 2. YMMV.

    Plato said:

    And do women actually like kissing or having sex with men with stubble and beards?

    I hate stubble - having a red rubbed face following an encounter is really unattractive. Give me a man with a close shave anytime. I associate beards with being unclean unless they're very clipped and artistic looking.

    SeanT said:

    Studies show that women prefer men with about 3mm of stubble (that's about five day's growth, or a month for tim), as against clean shaven men. Women believe men with stubble look much more masculine and sexy. Check all the Hollywood actors who now wear stubble: it's practically universal. This is why.

    http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTg4NzM5NDk0MV5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNzAzMTUxNw@@._V1._SY314_CR2,0,214,314_.jpg

    Women ALSO believe men with beards look even MORE masculine than men with stubble, however men with beards are deemed threatening (TOO masculine and aggressive), so they score lower than the clean shaven on sexiness.

    Here is Paxman's problem. He hasn't got the right length. He's got about two weeks of stubble which is almost a proper beard, plus he's very grey now and the mini-beard emphasises this greyness, thereby ageing him. Stubble would be less obviously grey.

    He needs to get a proper beard-trimmer and reduce the bristles to 3mm.

    Not that I've researched this or anything.

    I'd agree - but it looks grubby. Imagine a lady with stubble on her legs or armpits? Ewwww.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724

    Miss Plato, I suspect the reverse can also be true. Calling a girl Chastity is just asking for trouble.

    Mr. Eagles, I never knew Darth Vader was a Yorkshireman!

    "Ey up, ye soft rebel basterds."

    @FactHive said earlier that James Earl Jones refused to have his name in the first SWars credits because he expected the film to flop.
  • FensterFenster Posts: 2,115
    edited August 2013
    Plato said:

    Fenster said:

    Rexel56 said:

    Plato said:

    Miss Plato, to be fair, Superman's a pretty good role model. That said, the name is a bit, er, out there.

    Could be worse, though. He could've been called Optimus Prime.

    LOL

    There are some great names in the ONS data

    3 boys called "Calixte" 4 called "Anekin"

    http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm:77-318071
    16 boys registered without a name! How does that work then...?
    Blinking heck, they haven't even spelt Anakin properly.

    On the Star Wars front, I like the name Leia. I think it is pretty. I wouldn't have called my daughter that because she would've grown up answering Force-related questions, but it is a nice name.

    My boy (Joshua) was in nursery last year and I'm sure you'll be reassured to know that his classmates all had fairly traditional names. He was in class with a Dylan, a Harry, two Olivers, three Caitlins, a Lewis, a Millie, a Bethany, a Lily, a Jack and a Finlay among others. Nothing too offensive and they all send eachother Christmas cards! Not that I (or he) gives a monkeys about their names anyway. I won't be preventing him from hanging out with the chavs; he'll probably be one himself :)

    My classmates were all called Mark, David, Thomas, William, Richard, Jill, Fiona, Helen, Simon, Peter, Andrew, Alison, Dawn, Joanne and Susan.

    Amazing how fashions change. My name never gets over a couple of hundred a year.

    EDIT We had one called Roger whose teeth were all mercury amalgam so he resembled Jaws from James Bond.
    I had five Gareths in my class. I was born in 1977 and Gareth Edwards - being the world's premier rugby player at that time - circumvented fashion :)

  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    edited August 2013
    ''In Freakamonics there's a chapter on kids becoming their own names - one was called Temptress FFS.''

    The guy who came third in the Zimbabwe election (with 3% of the vote, according to the 'official' figures) had the christian name 'Welshman'
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    edited August 2013
    I rented a wonderful split level penthouse apartment in Chelsea from Ken Annakin, he said he bought it with the first royalty cheque from "Those Magnificent men..." movie..
    Nice chap..
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Ah

    Robin Brant @robindbrant
    BBC told mystery donor who gave over half a million to the coalition parties died and stipulated money went to whoever was in government.
  • MikeSmithsonMikeSmithson Posts: 7,382
    YouGov have changed their party ID weightings which should see lower LD shares and higher UKIP ones
    http://goo.gl/ex9zbk
  • Q: Who was the last native Scot to score against England in a men’s senior competitive fixture?

    A: Ray Houghton, born Glasgow 1962, for the Republic of Ireland at Euro 88

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/5live/posts/England-v-Scotland-The-Auld-Enemy
  • Plato said:

    Miss Plato, I suspect the reverse can also be true. Calling a girl Chastity is just asking for trouble.

    Mr. Eagles, I never knew Darth Vader was a Yorkshireman!

    "Ey up, ye soft rebel basterds."

    @FactHive said earlier that James Earl Jones refused to have his name in the first SWars credits because he expected the film to flop.
    Incorrect

    Known for his humility, he declined to have his name appear on the credits of both Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977) and Star Wars: Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back (1980), claiming that he felt his contribution wasn't significant enough to warrant a credit. He did agree to have his name appear of the credits of Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983).

    http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000469/bio
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    Plato said:

    p
    I had 3x Joannes, 3x Alisons, 3x Fiona 2x Helens in mine. Almost all my boyfriends were called Mark, David or Andy. It made things really confusing so we tended to use nicknames instead.

    Being called Mohammed must be a complete nightmare.

    The bulk of boys in my family tend to be called Henry (with the occasional Richard, Charles or Alexander) so we started adding house names to differentiate them. As in Henry of Staplehurst or Henry of Mitcham Grove.

    The only exceptions are Henry the Magnificent and Good Henry, but those are fairly self-explanatory... ;-)
  • dr_spyndr_spyn Posts: 11,301
    Was Chris Bryant moonlighting for The Daily Mash?
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited August 2013
    I loved Goodluck Jonathon

    Of course its hard to beat Canaan Banana

    Or Neville Neville.
    taffys said:

    ''In Freakamonics there's a chapter on kids becoming their own names - one was called Temptress FFS.''

    The guy who came third in the Zimbabwe election (with 3% of the vote, according to the 'official' figures) had the christian name 'Welshman'

  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Charles said:

    Plato said:

    p
    I had 3x Joannes, 3x Alisons, 3x Fiona 2x Helens in mine. Almost all my boyfriends were called Mark, David or Andy. It made things really confusing so we tended to use nicknames instead.

    Being called Mohammed must be a complete nightmare.

    The bulk of boys in my family tend to be called Henry (with the occasional Richard, Charles or Alexander) so we started adding house names to differentiate them. As in Henry of Staplehurst or Henry of Mitcham Grove.

    The only exceptions are Henry the Magnificent and Good Henry, but those are fairly self-explanatory... ;-)
    Ha! Marvellous.
  • @plato

    The Canaan Banana scandal did lead to the headline "Man sodomised by Banana"
  • DecrepitJohnLDecrepitJohnL Posts: 13,300
    Plato said:

    Cheers, Mr. Antifrank :)

    Did you like the book? Whilst I liked certain aspects of the world (and stole/modified the Godi for my own writing) it felt a bit of a slog to me.

    Miss Plato, in the Sixth Form I was in a form of about 11, three of whom were called Mohammed.

    I had 3x Joannes, 3x Alisons, 3x Fiona 2x Helens in mine. Almost all my boyfriends were called Mark, David or Andy. It made things really confusing so we tended to use nicknames instead.

    Being called Mohammed must be a complete nightmare.
    Rather carelessly phrased imo.

    In my limited experience, they'd answer to it but often be known by another of their names.
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,985
    Plato said:

    Ah

    Robin Brant @robindbrant
    BBC told mystery donor who gave over half a million to the coalition parties died and stipulated money went to whoever was in government.

    Now that's bizarre. However, how did they take account of the fact that it's a coalition? Looks like the Tories have got their proportionate share in terms of MPs.
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    I loved Goodluck Jonathon

    Our old history teacher in Wales told us that religious statement name were very popular when non-conformity swept the principality in the 18th and 19th centuries - names like Praisegod Williams and Goodlord Evans...
  • Morris_DancerMorris_Dancer Posts: 62,061
    Mr. L, indeed, surnames were the way to go (most pupils were known by surnames anyway).
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited August 2013
    Paxo's beard has made a statement

    http://t.co/M6RhlNQ9jJ

    Chris Hamilton @chrishams
    “…the BBC is generally as pogonophobic as the late-lamented Albanian dictator, Enver Hoxha.”
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    Being called Mohammed must be a nightmare.

    Again the Welsh example is instructive. The Welsh Guards use numbers (Jones four, Williams six) and Ivor the Engine gives another way around it - 'Jones the Steam'

    And so, presumably, Mohammed the IT, Mohammed the Terror.....etc.
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724

    Plato said:

    Ah

    Robin Brant @robindbrant
    BBC told mystery donor who gave over half a million to the coalition parties died and stipulated money went to whoever was in government.

    Now that's bizarre. However, how did they take account of the fact that it's a coalition? Looks like the Tories have got their proportionate share in terms of MPs.
    It was based on the number of MPs apparently.
  • isamisam Posts: 41,118
    I think Jeremy Paxman's beard quite suits him.

    Personally I cant really grow one, except for a bit of stubble... just call me Njal!
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724

    Plato said:

    Cheers, Mr. Antifrank :)

    Did you like the book? Whilst I liked certain aspects of the world (and stole/modified the Godi for my own writing) it felt a bit of a slog to me.

    Miss Plato, in the Sixth Form I was in a form of about 11, three of whom were called Mohammed.

    I had 3x Joannes, 3x Alisons, 3x Fiona 2x Helens in mine. Almost all my boyfriends were called Mark, David or Andy. It made things really confusing so we tended to use nicknames instead.

    Being called Mohammed must be a complete nightmare.
    Rather carelessly phrased imo.

    In my limited experience, they'd answer to it but often be known by another of their names.
    Oh good grief - nitpicky. I'm an evil Tory racist yes yes yes.

  • Plato said:

    I loved Goodluck Jonathon

    Of course its hard to beat Canaan Banana

    Or Neville Neville.

    taffys said:

    ''In Freakamonics there's a chapter on kids becoming their own names - one was called Temptress FFS.''

    The guy who came third in the Zimbabwe election (with 3% of the vote, according to the 'official' figures) had the christian name 'Welshman'

    Abdullah Abdullah?

    :)
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633

    Q: Who was the last native Scot to score against England in a men’s senior competitive fixture?

    A: Ray Houghton, born Glasgow 1962, for the Republic of Ireland at Euro 88

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/5live/posts/England-v-Scotland-The-Auld-Enemy

    Bollocks - big Don Hutchinson scored at Wembley in the Euro 2000 playoffs.

    Rose like a salmon on viagra and bulleted it into the English net.

    1min 50 in.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo1mvE-ou7g

  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    Oh good grief - nitpicky. I'm an evil Tory racist yes yes yes.

    Talking about this topic with labour posters is like tapping someone on the knee.

    The ensuing jerk is completely involuntary....
  • TGOHF said:



    Q: Who was the last native Scot to score against England in a men’s senior competitive fixture?

    A: Ray Houghton, born Glasgow 1962, for the Republic of Ireland at Euro 88

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/5live/posts/England-v-Scotland-The-Auld-Enemy

    Bollocks - big Don Hutchinson scored at Wembley in the Euro 2000 playoffs.

    Rose like a salmon on viagra and bulleted it into the English net.

    1min 50 in.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xo1mvE-ou7g

    He wasn't a Scottish native, id est born in Scotland, he was born in Gateshead
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited August 2013
    taffys said:

    I loved Goodluck Jonathon

    Our old history teacher in Wales told us that religious statement name were very popular when non-conformity swept the principality in the 18th and 19th centuries - names like Praisegod Williams and Goodlord Evans...

    There are some fantastic names - I'm all for a bit of creativity. I had aunties called Patience etc. I do find ones that are a bit TOWIE like Chardonnay a bit odd.

    Perhaps future MiLs could be called Sarsons?
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,573
    Is the 4/5 a good bet ?
  • CarolaCarola Posts: 1,805
    taffys said:

    Being called Mohammed must be a nightmare.

    Again the Welsh example is instructive. The Welsh Guards use numbers (Jones four, Williams six) and Ivor the Engine gives another way around it - 'Jones the Steam'

    And so, presumably, Mohammed the IT, Mohammed the Terror.....etc.


    I've taught at a Bradford (ish) school with lots of Mohammeds. Many used their other names. No problem, no nightmare.
  • PulpstarPulpstar Posts: 78,573
    The US sprinter - English Gardner has a great name.
  • Pulpstar said:

    The US sprinter - English Gardner has a great name.

    Can't beat Gay and Dix

    http://2012olympicsblog.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/Gay-Dix-headline.png
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    taffys said:

    Being called Mohammed must be a nightmare.

    Again the Welsh example is instructive. The Welsh Guards use numbers (Jones four, Williams six) and Ivor the Engine gives another way around it - 'Jones the Steam'

    And so, presumably, Mohammed the IT, Mohammed the Terror.....etc.

    What an excellent comparison. We had several Welsh names in my class but I never realised at the time.

    Being called John Smith is surely pretty uncommon these days.
  • Rexel56 said:

    Plato said:

    Miss Plato, to be fair, Superman's a pretty good role model. That said, the name is a bit, er, out there.

    Could be worse, though. He could've been called Optimus Prime.

    LOL

    There are some great names in the ONS data

    3 boys called "Calixte" 4 called "Anekin"

    http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/publications/re-reference-tables.html?edition=tcm:77-318071
    16 boys registered without a name! How does that work then...?
    How popular is my name "Sunil" I wonder? :)
  • TGOHFTGOHF Posts: 21,633
    edited August 2013



    He wasn't a Scottish native, id est born in Scotland, he was born in Gateshead

    A small detail - was worth it to show the goal again ;)

    Tomorrow night has got 1-1 written all over it.

  • TheScreamingEaglesTheScreamingEagles Posts: 120,260
    edited August 2013
    TGOHF said:



    He wasn't a Scottish native, id est born in Scotland, he was born in Gateshead

    A small detail - was worth it to show the goal again ;)

    Tomorrow night has got 1-1 written all over it.

    That was a terrible match, I predict a Scottish victory tomorrow night
  • CharlesCharles Posts: 35,758
    Plato said:

    Charles said:

    Plato said:

    p
    I had 3x Joannes, 3x Alisons, 3x Fiona 2x Helens in mine. Almost all my boyfriends were called Mark, David or Andy. It made things really confusing so we tended to use nicknames instead.

    Being called Mohammed must be a complete nightmare.

    The bulk of boys in my family tend to be called Henry (with the occasional Richard, Charles or Alexander) so we started adding house names to differentiate them. As in Henry of Staplehurst or Henry of Mitcham Grove.

    The only exceptions are Henry the Magnificent and Good Henry, but those are fairly self-explanatory... ;-)
    Ha! Marvellous.
    HtM designed and built my avatar. Good Henry paid for it....
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    Pulpstar said:

    The US sprinter - English Gardner has a great name.

    Randy Bumgardner surely wins the Top Trumps game everytime?

    "Randy Bumgardner profiles | LinkedIn
    www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Randy/Bumgardner‎
    View the profiles of professionals named Randy Bumgardner on LinkedIn. There are 5 professionals named Randy Bumgardner, who use LinkedIn to exchange ...

  • FPT @DecrepitJohnL:

    I was wondering if you found a reliable source for Mac's alleged "Events, dear boy. Events." quote.
    No, I do not. But then I've never looked. Clearly someone coined the phrase and Occam's Razor supports its attribution to SuperMac.
    But where is the evidence he actually said it??
  • taffystaffys Posts: 9,753
    ''Tomorrow night has got 1-1 written all over it.''

    Do you mean goals scored, or crossbars broken?
  • richardDoddrichardDodd Posts: 5,472
    I have a very good Egyptian friend called Mohammed..he insists on being called Michael..throws wonderful boozy dinner parties and never touches a drop himself..
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    edited August 2013

    I have a very good Egyptian friend called Mohammed..he insists on being called Michael..throws wonderful boozy dinner parties and never touches a drop himself..

    I'd a Libyan BF who was called Mohammed - pretended he was Egyptian and told everyone he was called Magick. He made a killing from making tiny soft goods from Burberry fabric leftovers. He loved getting plastered.

    Count your fingers after shaking hands mind...
  • flangeflange Posts: 8
    Plato said:

    Pulpstar said:

    The US sprinter - English Gardner has a great name.

    Randy Bumgardner surely wins the Top Trumps game everytime?

    "Randy Bumgardner profiles | LinkedIn
    www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Randy/Bumgardner‎
    View the profiles of professionals named Randy Bumgardner on LinkedIn. There are 5 professionals named Randy Bumgardner, who use LinkedIn to exchange ...
    I reckon Eric Fruithandler is better, personally. :)
  • JohnOJohnO Posts: 4,295


    FPT @DecrepitJohnL:

    I was wondering if you found a reliable source for Mac's alleged "Events, dear boy. Events." quote.
    No, I do not. But then I've never looked. Clearly someone coined the phrase and Occam's Razor supports its attribution to SuperMac.
    But where is the evidence he actually said it??
    Somewhere in the distant recesses of an addled Hersham (or should that be Bournemouth) mono brain cell is the faint recollection that it appeared in the late Sir Julian Critchley's autobiography 'A Bag of Boiled Sweets'. He was first elected in 1959 and was a devotee of Macmillan who uttered the famed words at an informal meeting with young Tory MPs.
  • AlastairMeeksAlastairMeeks Posts: 30,340
    I just got on the 4/5 that Jeremy Paxman will be bearded tomorrow night. It seems to be suspended now.
  • QuincelQuincel Posts: 4,042
    Pulpstar said:

    Is the 4/5 a good bet ?

    I must admit, I'm not sure Paxman is the type to let public reaction force him into shaving after one night. I think we'll see it for at least a week or so.
  • Oh God, England are going to lose 5 nil in Australia

    Dan Hodges: Ashes 2013: If Australia only Australia had a touch of English arrogance

    http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/danhodges/100230926/ashes-2013-if-australia-are-to-stand-a-chance-this-winter-they-need-to-become-as-arrogant-as-england/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
  • PlatoPlato Posts: 15,724
    flange said:

    Plato said:

    Pulpstar said:

    The US sprinter - English Gardner has a great name.

    Randy Bumgardner surely wins the Top Trumps game everytime?

    "Randy Bumgardner profiles | LinkedIn
    www.linkedin.com/pub/dir/Randy/Bumgardner‎
    View the profiles of professionals named Randy Bumgardner on LinkedIn. There are 5 professionals named Randy Bumgardner, who use LinkedIn to exchange ...
    I reckon Eric Fruithandler is better, personally. :)
    LOL

    for those wishing to search for such gems - a new browser is being rolled out re web censorship http://piratebrowser.com/
  • Makes him look bloody ancient.
  • FrankBoothFrankBooth Posts: 9,985
    TGOHF - The reason that UK mortgages are seen as risk free lending is that everything bar the kitchen sink has been thrown at the UK housing market to stop it collapsing. Just imagine what higher interest - therefore mortgage rates - would do. Neither are we prepared to deal with the supply problem for political reasons. So I suppose if you rig a market so completely that prices are very high you could argue there is no bubble. But it plainly isn't good for the future of the economy. I've not heard anyone sensible explain why you need this combination of monetary activism and fiscal conservatism in a crisis like this. Just stinks of rank ideology.

    Conservatives have a certain soft spot for the BoE given it's the sort of ruritanian pre-democratic institution that they like. The treasury on the other has long been taken over by democratic interests that appeal to you know ordinary people. The snobs can't have that.
  • New thread
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